dimensionscollidefandomcom-20200214-history
Battle of Yavin 4
� The Battle of Yavin, also known as the Battle of the Death Star, was a major battle of the Galactic Civil War that led to the destruction of the first Death Star and Luke Skywalker's first step to becoming a fully-fledged Jedi. It was one of the Rebellion's first major victories. � http://dimensionscollide.wikia.com/index.php?title=Battle_of_Yavin_4&action=edit&section=1 edit Contents hide*1 Prelude *2 Battle **2.1 The Trench Run *3 Ground Battle *4 Aftermath *5 Calendrical impact *6 Squadrons **6.1 Rebel squadrons **6.2 Imperial squadron *7 Casualties and Survivors **7.1 Rebel Alliance **7.2 The Empire *8 Behind the scenes *9 Appearances **9.1 Non-canon appearances *10 Sources *11 Notes and references |} Prelude "Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they've obtained." :―Conan Motti[src] With the imminent completion of the Death Star, the Alliance anticipated a major Imperial offensive against them, and the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Independence carried members of the Alliance High Command to Yavin 4 to coordinate the Alliance's defense.[1] Upon arrival the Independence sent Red, Gold and Blue Squadron to Yavin Base. There they were augmented by veteran pilots as the Alliance gathered its resources in preparation for the coming battle.[2] Jan Dodonna briefs rebel pilots on the Death Star plans.The plans for the battle were completed after the crew and passengers of the Millennium Falcon successfully rescued Princess Leia Organa from the Death Star, along with detailed technical plans of the massive space station. Obi-Wan Kenobi had confronted his former Padawan and Leia's father, Darth Vader, and sacrificed himself so the party could escape with the plans and deliver them to Alliance command.[3] However, as Leia suspected, they were actually allowed to escape by the Empire, so as to lead Imperial forces to the main Rebel base on the fourth moon of Yavin.[3] Studying the plans provided by R2-D2, the Rebels learned that the station had a small exhaust port which led to the main reactor, allowing a proton torpedo to reach the main reactor and destroy the station. However, the port was only 2 meters wide and situated in a narrow trench protected by turbolaser batteries. The trench would have to be navigated to allow the Rebel targeting system to lock on to the port, in a climactic portion of the battle called the trench run. There was little confidence that the weakness could be exploited in such conditions.[3] � Battle :"Lock S-foils in attack position." :―Garven Dreis[src] Rebel X-wings commence their attack run on the Death StarThe Death Star arrived in system escorted by a small support fleet consisting of the Nebulon-B frigate Divad and two CR90 corvettes BB 45 and SB 35. While the Death Star prepared to fire its main weapon, a communications satellite was deployed to coordinate defenses. The Rebels, still planning their attack, knew that any delay to the Death Star's approach could spell the difference between victory and defeat. Therefore they planned a small attack to destroy the communications satellite and disrupt operations. A trio of X-wings, including Keyan Farlander, and a pair of R-22 Spearheads were dispatched to destroy the comsat. While Farlander's wingmen held off Imperial fighters, Farlander ignored the threat and headed straight for the satellite, destroying it with a proton torpedo. The mission was a success, preventing the Empire calling for reinforcements and disrupting their defenses, although two of the Rebel X-wings were shot down and the pilots had to be rescued later.[2] Farlander was quickly dispatched again in one of two X-wings charged with clearing some of the defenses around the trench. They succeeded in destroying several laser batteries as well as some small surface hangars, limiting the Death Star's ability to launch fighters for the cost of another X-wing.[2] � The Trench Run :Main article: Trench run :"We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger. Should I have your ship standing by?" "Evacuate? In our moment of ''triumph? I think you overestimate their chances!" :―Moradmin Bast and Wilhuff Tarkin —Listen (file info)[src] Following the preliminary attacks, a fleet of 22 X-wing, 8 Y-wing, and 2 R22 Spearhead starfighters scrambled to assault the station. The Death Star attempted to use its batteries to defend itself, but the defenses were designed primarily to fight off capital ships, not the small and agile Rebel ships. The fighters destroyed several turrets and a rookie hotshot known as Rookie One destroyed a giant ion cannon mounted on the Station, in order to set the stage for the main phase of the assault.[4] Turbolasers defend the Death Star during the Battle of YavinThe station commander, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, dismissed the attack as futile and refused to deploy the station's vast TIE squadrons. But Darth Vader, realizing the material threat, ordered his personal fighter squadron to scramble on his own authority. The TIE Fighter squadrons attacked the Rebel forces soon after they realized that their laser batteries were failing. An order was passed on, to stop all turbolasers from firing, letting the TIEs do the job, and to avoid the risk of Imperial fighters being shot down by friendly fire. The Rebels attempted three bombing attacks during the trench run. The first was carried out by three Y-Wings of Gold Squadron, the second by three X-wings of Red Squadron. All proved unsuccessful as Darth Vader and his wingmen picked off the fighters one by one. A third run led by Luke Skywalker also consisted of three X-wings. One of his squad was damaged and forced to pull out; a second was shot down. To the Rebel Command, all seemed hopeless; the Death Star had reached firing position, almost all the fighters were lost, and the remaining pilot able to make the run, Skywalker, had "senselessly" deactivated his targeting computer. Skywalker, however, was advised by the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi to use the Force to make the seemingly impossible shot. The Death Star is destroyed.Vader, sensing that the last pilot was strong in the Force, prepared to kill him (not knowing then that the pilot was his son). However, at the last moment, Han Solo and Chewbacca of the ''Millennium Falcon surprised Darth Vader and, with a laser blast, destroyed one of his wingmen. In the confusion, the other wingman panicked and collided with Vader's fighter, sending him careening out of control and into space. Luke made the shot, and with the Force aiding him, his torpedoes entered the port perfectly. The Death Star exploded just seconds before its main gun would have destroyed Yavin 4. Grand Moff Tarkin and the battle station's entire crew, except for Vader, were killed. The Rebel Alliance had won a spectacular victory. � Ground Battle There was also a ground battle at Yavin 4. Some Imperial TIE fighters fled to the surface, but all pilots were killed by the rebel troops guarding the Massassi Temple serving as the Alliance base. � Aftermath :"Great shot, kid! That was one in a million!" :―Han Solo[src] As a result of this battle, the Rebel Alliance gained credibility as a legitimate military opponent to the Empire. Between the effects of the battle and the dissolution of the Imperial Senate, thousands of star systems openly joined the Alliance in the months following the Death Star's destruction. As a result, the Empire began occupying worlds it had allowed to remain untouched earlier, both actions resulting in an escalation of the war. TIE bombers attack the Rebel base on Yavin 4.A few months after the Battle of Yavin, the Empire launched a number of small raids at the Yavin moon, in an attempt to destroy the Core Group of the Rebellion.[5] These raids were carried out by small TIE squadrons launched from a small base near the Yavin system. They often maintained reconnaissance patrols rather than retaliatory attacks. The Rebel Alliance still had to evacuate Yavin 4 to escape retaliation from the Imperial Starfleet and eventually settled on Hoth. The last raid carried out by the Empire was a crushing assault consisting of a planetary blockade and large number of troops, TIE Fighters and AT-STs. General Jan Dodonna, mastermind of Yavin's defense, was not able to escape and was captured by Imperial forces and later imprisoned.[6] The newly launched Executor was dispatched to destroy the Rebel fleet. But Admiral Griff's squadron of Star Destroyers came out of lightspeed and collided with the Executor. By the time the crew regained control, the last Rebel ship jumped into hyperspace. Few Rebel pilots escaped with their lives from the battle: Luke Skywalker, Wedge Antilles, Rookie One, Ru Murleen, Merrick Simms, Jake Farrell, X2, Shara and Keyan Farlander.[3] � Calendrical impact 25 years later, it was decided by the New Republic Historical Council to set a new calendar. Some already used a calendar that set year 0 as the fall of Palpatine. However, due to the significance of the destruction of the Death Star, the loss of millions of Imperial personnel and its significance in the eventual overthrow of the Empire, the Council set year 0 as the year when the Battle of Yavin happened; therefore they established the BBY/ABY calendar. The Galactic Alliance, as the legal successor to the defunct New Republic, continued to use this calendar, but it is unknown what calendar was used by the Fel Empire or the new Sith Empire. Background A legion of stormtroopers was sent to Yavin 4 to confirm a Rebel presence and to gain a foothold on the planet, prior to the main assault by the approaching Death Star. � The Battle While Rebel defensive forces set up laser turrets and command areas in a temple on one side of the Massassi Fighting Arena, Imperial squads quickly secured the east overlook inside the square arena. Stormtroopers then rushed down to the ground of the arena and enaged the Rebels in the maze of channels. Reinforcements for both sides poured in through tunnels into the arena as the Empire took the arena floor. Rebels defending their overlook command center fired down on the Imperial troops, taking several casualties. After several minutes, the Empire rushed up to the west overlook, blasted the anti-infantry turret and captured the area. While the heat of battle was in the fighting arena, Imperial scout troopers stealthily advanced around the perimeter of the ancient stadium and were able to capture the opposite vehicle post. Now the other Imperials could easily raid the arena from any side, a quick defeat consequently meeting the doomed Rebels. The last obstacle was the small temple that the Rebels had reinforced with two turrets and a squad of Rebel combat speeders, some of which were under fire from AT-STs which had advanced on either side of the arena. Stormtroopers suddenly attacked through the tunnel and tall stairways from the arena, coming in a devastating wave at the Rebels, who were soon obliterated The Second Battle of Yavin 4 was one of the Skirmishes of Yavin 4 immediately after the Battle of Yavin. � � Background A few days before the destruction of the Death Star, Imperial troops were sent to Yavin 4 to investigate and confirm if there was indeed a Rebel presence there. During that mission, a battle ensued in which stormtroopers captured the Arena. Days after its capture and abandonment, a number of escape pods and shuttles that had escaped from the Death Star's destruction, crashed on Yavin 4. Their troops reorganized and united and then moved toward the Massassi Temple. � The 2nd Battle The Imperial troops performed a few guerilla tactics on Rebel command posts and gained their ground. They captured a number of Rebel jungle turrets, and reactivated the damaged AT-STs that had survived the shuttle crashes. Rebel vanguards immediately took action, and stalled the AT-STs while the standard infantry prepared the staff for evacuation. They scored a few hits on the scout walkers. The other troopers regained their ground and engaged the stormtroopers in firefights in the jungle. A number of Rebels scaled a waterfall and captured the main Imperial crash site, destroying more scout walkers not yet activated. During the battle Brenn Tantor arrived with a task force and managed to rescue Colonel Maximilian Veers who crash-landed his escape pod on the surface.Tantor also destroyed one Rebel base but soon left Yavin with Veers. The Raid above Yavin was an armed search mission organized by crimelord Tyber Zann. � � Background Zann heard of a rumor involving Emperor Palpatine's personal vaults which contained vast amounts of money. While he knew nothing of the locations, Zann believed that the answer could be found in the remains of the Death Star which the Rebels had destroyed at Yavin. He believed that someone on the Death Star had followed standard procedures and ejected some Data pods before the destruction of the battlestation. � The Raid Tyber Zann ordered his forces to make a pass around Yavin. They encountered a Rebel patrol which they quickly destroyed. They then found the first data pod which contained top secret information about discussions between the Grand Moffs. This was of no use to Zann. The flotilla then discovered an [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Acclamator_II-class_assault_ship Acclamator II-class assault ship] which was guarded by four [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tartan-class_patrol_cruiser Tartan-class patrol cruisers], however the Tartan cruisers abandoned the Acclamator and defected to the Consortium. The Acclamator was subsequently destroyed. The Consortium then found another data pod which contained the designs for a brand new warship being constructed at Kuat. This warship was the [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Eclipse-class_Star_Dreadnought Eclipse-class Star Dreadnought] known as Eclipse. After dealing with another Rebel confrontation and destroying several missile satellites, Tyber found another data pod. This contained the designs for a new warship called the [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Aggressor-class_destroyer Aggressor-class destroyer]. Zann still believed that at least one data pod could be found. Tyber's forces had to fight off not just another Rebel group, but also multiple pirate units as well, such as Rihkxyrk Attack Ships and a Barloz-class freighter. These had found the data pod before him, but Tyber Zann managed to steal it just as an [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial-class_Star_Destroyer Imperial-class Star Destroyer] arrived. The Third Battle of Yavin 4 was one of many attempts by the Galactic Empire to drive the Rebel Alliance off of Yavin 4 after the loss of the first Death Star. � The 3rd Battle The Galactic Empire invades Yavin's fourth moon with landing craft and TIE fighters.A larger attack than usual, Red Squadron, led by Luke Skywalker, flew against the dropships deploying ground forces. After a majority of the Imperial loader shuttles and dropships were destroyed, a transport slipped through defenses and deployed a stormtrooper force into the Great Temple, pinning General Jan Dodonna in the Ceremonial Chamber. As Red 3, Sarkli, reluctantly defended the fleeing transports in orbit, Luke and Wedge Antilles landed in the temple and ripped through the attackers. Red Squadron readying to attack the Imperial invaders.The two managed to save Major Bren Derlin and Dodonna, and proceeded to the entrance of the base, where they were pinned down by two AT-STs. Sarkli swooped down and destroyed the walkers, allowing the group to escape in a GR-75 medium transport. However, the fleet of Immobilizer 418 cruisers were still activated, so no transports escaped. The Alliance returned to the moon and re-occupied the temples, which they would lose during the upcoming Fourth Battle of Yavin 4 and Evacuation of Yavin. � :"It wasn't the best thought out plan, but we were cut off from our leaders, tired, and operating on instinct. If not for our training, we probably would've never gotten past their orbital defenses." :―Unidentified 501st Legion stormtrooper[src] The Fourth Battle of Yavin 4 was one of the final Skirmishes of Yavin 4 in which the 501st Legion retaliated for the destruction of the first Death Star. � � Background :"When the Death Star was destroyed, about half of the 501st Legion was still in the hangar getting to their ships. Of those who made it out, another third were caught in the explosion. I'd fought with some of those men for over twenty years. Afterwards, those of us that survived hooked up with a nearby Imperial fleet making a retaliatory strike on the Rebel's base on Yavin IV." :―Unidentified 501st Legion stormtrooper[src] A detachment of the 501st emerged from the blockade of Immobilizer 418 cruisers, consisting of one Star Destroyer and two escort Victory II-class frigates. A number of Rebels had discovered a path through the blockade, and gathered together in a convoy of starships to rip through the blockade with a hyperspace jump. � The 4th Battle :"Frankly, I don't remember much of the fighting. I guess we won." :―Unidentified 501st Legion stormtrooper[src] The pilots of the 501st manned their bombers and attacked the fleet of Corellian Corvettes. With the corvette defense down, the attack on the transports started. TIE/sa bombers swarmed through the fleet, destroying everything in their path. An assault on a Mon Calamari cruiser commenced. The 501st pilots destroyed the heavy turbolasers, clearing the way for the Victory II frigates to barrage the hull. The bombers destroyed the engines and immobilized the starship, leaving it clear for capture. Afterwards followed a ground assault. A [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sentinel-class_landing_craft Sentinel-class landing craft] landed on the moon and Imperial forces proceeded to attack a Rebel hangar base. They secured the fountain, viaduct, and reflecting pool. A squad of Imperial engineers deployed a breaching bomb to the hangar door, blowing it open. The Imperials then stormed the temple and killed the Bothan High Command. The Blockade of Yavin was a military action conducted by the Galactic Empire after the destruction of the Death Star in 0 ABY. � � History Darth Vader led a fleet that surrounded the system in order to defeat the Core Group of the Rebel Alliance. The blockade was so extensive, it covered the entire Gordian Reach. Though it was a large blockade, smaller ships could escape, while the large transports and capital ships were prevented from leaving. The blockade was more political than military, because the Empire didn't want the galaxy to know that an enemy was threatening it. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and Han Solo managed to escape the blockade multiple times. Once to the Wheel, to Hoth, Drexel II, Aduba III, Akuria II, Keeper's world and other planets. Just before the blockade, Tyber Zann searched the debris of the first Death Star, locating several jettisoned pods that contained secret plans to the Eclipse and other plans. Tyber Zann left the system just after the Imperial fleet arrived. � House of Tagge intrigues The original commander for the blockade was General Ulric Tagge and was assisted by his family's company, led by Baron Orman Tagge. Several Tagge warships helped take part in the blockade. It was Orman Tagge's goal to gain favor with the Emperor, by creating a rivalry with Darth Vader, and humiliating him. Orman Tagge used his vast resources of TaggeCo to develop weapons to defeat the Alliance at Yavin. The first was a station in the planet of Yavin that carried a turbine to allow fighters through the turbulent atmosphere, called the Achtnak Turbine Station. TIE/ln starfighters used this station as a depot to allow them to maintain a continuous siege of Yavin 4. This station was eventually destroyed by Luke Skywalker. The second attempt used a new freezing bomb weapon, the Omega Frost. Han Solo led a Rebel fleet through an unknown gap of the Imperial fleet. Luke Skywalker managed to destroy the firing mechanism, and the Alliance fleet attacked Orman Tagge's fleet and led to his defeat. After this failure, Vader held Orman and Silas Tagge prisoner, and thus had leverage over Ulric Tagge, who believed his brothers dead, assumed the title Baron Tagge and retired from the military. � Admiral Griff's involvement Imperial forces assault Yavin Base.At the same time, Darth Vader was being pressured by Imperial commanders to strike, having lost patience in the blockade. A group of Admirals secretly revealed the existence of the Super Star Destroyer being built at Fondor to the Rebels. Luke Skywalker led a team to destroy the new weapon, but failed. Admiral Amise Griff, one of the treasonous admirals, was actually a spy for the Sith Lord. Vader killed the admirals for their betrayal. Vader rewarded Griff by placing him in command of the blockade. Griff launched stunning raids on the Massassi base on Yavin IV. His TIE fighters were slowly winning the battle of attrition. Fortunately, Princess Leia and a pirate fleet led by Silver Fyre ran the blockade and defeated the TIE fighters. The Empire continued to besiege the base, launching several raids to destroy transports and kill leaders. The Bothan High Command were killed in one attack, while Rebel fighters led by Commander Skywalker defended the transports in another attack. When the Super Star Destroyer Executor was finished, Vader led a final strike on the base with his new flagship. At the advice of Luke Skywalker to relocate to Hoth, the Alliance evacuated the last of the base, and attempted to delay the arrival of the Super Star Destroyer. The first attempt failed, and its commander, Vrad Dodonna, fled the battle, damaging his own ship to appear he barely escaped. Luke Skywalker caught Vrad from escaping, but did not want to hurt General Dodonna's feelings for his son. Vrad and Luke then volunteered on a mission to use a power gem to weaken the Executor's shields. Vrad, however, left Luke behind to escape on his own and sell the power gem. Attacked by the Executor, Vrad was forced to change course and rammed the ship. As the Executor redirected all power to its forward shields, the Millennium Falcon damaged the ship's rear. Unable to strike the Rebel Base, Darth Vader called upon Admiral Griff at Jovan Station to use the blockade force. Admiral Griff responded by sending a TIE Bomber fleet to destroy the base. However, General Dodonna detonated the temple - the blast destroyed the bomber fleet. This allowed the last Alliance transport to escape. � Final actions Despite successfully evacuating the base, the Rebels were still faced with escaping from the Imperial blockade. Rebel-aligned Admiral Ackbar and his Mon Calamari forces attacked the Vallusk Cluster and two other locations along the blockade as a diversion. This allowed a gap in the blockade for the Alliance to escape. Admiral Griff was not fooled, and sent his three Star Destroyers to a nearby star to hide and wait to ambush the Rebel fleet. Luckily, Luke Skywalker discovered the Star Destroyers and warned them. Rebels evacuate Yavin.Instead, Princess Leia led the fleet through a stellar flare around the star, with Skywalker guiding them through the Force. Meanwhile, with the repairs complete, Darth Vader and the Executor awaited on the other side of the star to ambush the fleet. Darth Vader had used Griff to draw the Alliance near him, and exhaust them. But the ambitious Griff, foolishly miscalculated a hyperspace leap to catch the Alliance, and his three Star Destroyers collided into the Executor. Admiral Griff was killed, but fortunately for Vader, the Executor's shields protected him from the collision. This event allowed the Alliance to escape. The Alliance finally escaped the Imperial blockade and spent a year relocating to Hoth and building Echo Base. � The Aftermath This base would later be deserted during the Battle of Yavin, when all Imperials had withdrawn to the Death Star. Several attempts at establishing a foothold following that confrontation were routed out by Rebels. After the Evacuation of Yavin, the arena was abandoned for good. The Rebels were ready to be evacuated, but they soon discovered that most of the Imperials were now dead and the rest left Yavin. The Rebellion continued to occupy its posts on Yavin 4, though it would lose much of the base in the subsequent battles. :"Well, what do you know. I love it when I'm right!" :―Tyber Zann[src] ::� The fourth data pod contained the exact information that Zann was looking for, and he found that the locations of the vaults could be accessed from inside [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Eclipse_(ship) Eclipse]. He then moved to the next step of building his criminal empire. :"After the battle, the surviving members of the 501st finally caught their breath. The Empire had taken the Rebel's best shot and come up standing. Now it was our turn to strike." :―Unidentified 501st Legion stormtrooper[src] The fighting men of the 501st occupied the temple for a couple more weeks, then they were reinforced by an additional attack force, starting the Evacuation of Yavin. Category:Story Arcs